Accordion microphone



Dec. 4, 1951 E. H TERLINDE ACCORDION MICROPHONE Filed Aug. 13. 1948 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACCORDION MICROPHDNE Edward H. Terlinde, St. Paul, Minn. Application August 13, .1948, Serial No. 44,181

9 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in accordion microphone wherein it is desired to provide a means of attaching a microphone to an accordion.

Various types of accordion amplifiers have been made. I have found, however, that most such devices are constructed to emphasize certain tones more than others. The microphone is usually mounted in the sound chamber adjacent the reeds of the accordion. Because of its location the microphone will usually emphasize the sound of the reeds most closely adjacent the same and will pick up the remaining tones less effectively.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an amplifying attachment for an accordion which will pick up the sound of all of the :reeds at substantially similar volume so as to prevent the over-emphasis of certain notes. This I accomplish by supporting a bafiie plate adjacent vibrations are mixed thoroughly be ore affecting the microphone or being picked up thereby.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision or a combined baffle plate and mounting plate which may act to support the microphone in proper position and at the same time control the direction of the sound waves contacting the microphone diaphragm.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a bafile plate comprising a base plate of approximately the size of the microphone diaphragm and having a series of arms bent upwardly therefrom. The microphone is connected to the base plate by these arms so as to hold the diaphragm in closely spaced contact with the baiile plate. The baffle plate is likewise provided with outwardly extending lugs or cars by means of which the plate may be attached to the reed block or any other suitable location through resilient mountings.

An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a bracket plate which may be permanently mounted to the exterior surface of the accordion and which is connected to the microphone through a suitable wire lead. The wire lead extends through the joint between the end portion of the accordion and the bellows thereof so as to permanently connect the microphone to the external connection. The external connection may be detachably connected to a cord leading to the amplifier.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

screws 29.

Figure 1 is aperspective view of an end portion of an accordion showing my microphone attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the microphone and attaching plate.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the microphone and attaching plate.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the mounting plate before attachment to the microphone.

Figure 5 is an elevation view of the exterior connection which is permanently connected to the microphone.

The accordion A, only a portion of which is illustrated in the drawings, is provided with an end section It which supports the key board element .i! of the accordion. If desired the opposite end member of the accordion may serve as a support for the microphone. A series of reed blocks l2, l3, and [4 are detachably mounted in the end section If]. These reed blocks support the reeds which are affected by air passing thereby in the usual operation of the accordion.

The attachment B includes a microphone I5 which is supported upon a microphone mounting plate It. The microphone i5 may be of any suitable shape or design, but in the form illustrated comprises a circular body having an outwardly extending flange l1 thereupon and a slightly cone-shaped enclosure i9 which encloses the microphone diaphragm. Suitable sound apertures 26 are provided through this enclosure l9 through which the sound may travel.

The mounting plate It includes a fiat body portion 2! of sheet metal which is generally octagonal in shape and is provided with ears or wings 22 extending outwardly therefrom at opposite ends of the body. Generally triangular cars 23 extend upwardly at approximately right angles to the body 2| to serve as a connection between the base plate 2! and the microphone. These ears 23 also serve as a 'bafiie to limit the direction from which the sound may enter the space between the microphone and the base plate.

The outwardly extending cars 22 are provided with apertures 25 therethrough for accommodation of resilient washers 25. These resilient washers 25 are preferably provided with a peripheral groove 26 extending thereabout which is engaged with the ears 22 about the periphery of theopenings 24. One end of each of the washers 25 must be compressed substantially for insertion through the opening 24, but once engaged therein the washers hold the mounting plate iii in spaced relation to either end of the washers.

The washers 25 areprovided with apertures-27 therethrough for accommodation of mounting The screws .29 extend through the resilient washers and into one or more of the reed blocks such as l3 to hold the microphone in proper position. The mounting bracket I6 is resiliently supported through these rubber washers.

When the microphone I5 is attached to the mounting plate [6 the pointed free ends so of the ears 23 are bent over the flanges ll of the microphone, thus holding the microphone clamped to the bracket. It will be noted that in attached position the pointed end 3| of the cone shaped portion l9 engages against the center of the base plate 2| to hold most of the cone-shaped portion of the microphone in spaced relation to the base plate 2|.

It will be noted that when the microphone is mounted in this manner the sound must enter the space between the ears 23 and must pass between the base plate 2i and the cone shaped end I9 of the microphone. As the openings 29 in this pointed end are arranged with their axes parallel to the axis of the cone shaped end, the sound must again change direction before entering the openings 26. A a result the sound vibrations are thoroughly intermixed before contasting the microphone diaphragm and therefore an even and true blend of the sounds is provided.

The bracket 32 comprises an electrical connection with a cable or cord extending to the amplifier unit. This bracket 32 includes a rounded anchoring portion 33 having a straight side 39. The anchoring portion 32 is concave-convex with the concave surface against the end section it. The anchoring portion 33 is perforated to accommodate the end of the threaded shank 36 of the electrical connection 31. The threaded shank is riveted over the portion 33 of the mounting bracket.

In the preferred form of construction the connection Bl is hollow throughout its length and is closed at one end by a disc of insulation which supports a central contact 45. The threaded outer sleeve 37 is of metal and forms a second electrical connection.

The cable 4! returning from the microphone is usually covered with a metallic shield which is electrically connected to the casing of the microphone at A2. A wire 43 enclosed by the outer shield of the cable i! is electrically connected at 44 to the interior of the microphone. The shield is also electrically connected to the bracket 32 while the wire 43 extends through the hollow connection 3'! and is electrically connected to the center contact thereof.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my accordion microphone, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A microphone attachment for an accordion including a substantially flat mounting plate, a microphone having an apertured side, and radially spaced arms at substantially opposite locations supporting the apertured side of the microphone in closely spaced relation to said mounting plate.

2. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a microphone having an apertured sur-.

face on one side thereof, a substantially flat plate,

edges of said mounting plate at substantially opposite locations holding the same in closely spaced relation to said apertured surface in opposed relation to the apertures therein.

3. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a mounting plate, a microphone having a generally cone shaped apertured surface, and peripherally spaced means for securing said microphone with the point of said cone shaped apertured surface against the mounting plate and the mounting plate in opposed relation to the openings in said surface, said cone point holding the remainder of the apertured surface spaced from said mounting plate.

4. An amplifying attachment for an accordion including a mounting plate, a series of angularly spaced arms projecting upwardly from said mounting plate at substantially opposite locations, a microphone having an apertured surface thereon, and fixed end flanges on said arms supporting said microphone with said apertured surface in spaced opposed relation to said plate.

5. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a base plate, a series of upwardly extending arms thereupon in angularly spaced relation about the periphery thereof, a microphone having an exposed diaphragm and fixed end flange means on said arms holding said microphone with said exposed diaphragm in spaced parallel relation to said plate.

6. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a plate having ears projecting outwardly from the periphery thereof at substantially right angles thereto, a microphone supported between said arms, said microphone having a perforated substantially cone-shaped end, and fixed means on said arms holding said microphone with the pointed end thereof against said plate.

7. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a generally octagonal mounting plate, ears extending outwardly from alternating sides of said mounting plate at substantially right angles thereto, a microphone having an apertured cone-shaped end with the point thereof at substantially the center of said plate, and free flanged ends on said arms engaging said microphone to hold the same in fixed position.

8. The structure defined in claim '7 and including a pair of ears projecting from opposite sides of said mounting plate, and means for connecting said arms resiliently to the accordion.

9. An amplifier attachment for an accordion including a mounting plate, a microphone supported thereupon, a, flexible connection secured to said microphone, and electrical connection secured to the outer surface of said accordion, said electrical connection being permanently connected to said microphone and including a concavo-convex mounting plate having a straight side, a sleeve projecting from the convex surface of said plate, and an insulated electrical conductor within said sleeve.

EDWARD H. TERLINDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

